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This Is Me--2019 A to Z Theme

The Challenge of 2019 was the 10th! Since this was kind of a milestone year for A to Z my theme was a retrospective of sorts, looking at my 10 years as a blogger as well as ruminations about my life as it is and as I hope it yet can be. I've got places to be and people to see along the way. Hope you'll join me for this part of my journey...

Always a work in progress--welcome to my blog.

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Thursday, March 15, 2018

Comfortably Numb (#BOTB & #AtoZChallenge Theme Reveal)

Cleaning the Clutter

A few years ago I was corresponding with a blogger who has since deleted her blogs. We were discussing the different types of blog topics and at some point she related:

When I was blogging about the stuff we were dealing with because of the clutter we had to get rid of as a result of living in hubby's parents'' home I wasn't tired of the blog posts, just tired of the clutter :)

That concept inspired my thinking to reply:

Cleaning Clutter would be a great blog theme. You could get rid of something every post and write about it.

Now, three years after that exchange, I decided to run with this theme. I may not write everyday about getting rid of various items, but I intend to record my musings about the "clutter" around my house. Don't get me wrong--I don't live in a hoarder environment like in some of those television shows you may have seen. And I am at no risk of being buried for days under toppled stacks of newspapers and boxes. Things mostly look pretty normal around here, but there is still stuff we don't need anymore.

As I grow older, I see...

But wait! Let me not get ahead of my theme. You'll have to come back on April 1st to see where I will go with this. The official title of my theme is "Cleaning the Clutter"--but it might not totally be what you think. Not always. There hopefully will be some interesting--and even helpful observations, but I will also be "tossing it out" figuratively as well as literally.

It's business as usual. Just the way I like it.

And now for another matter of regular business...Battle of the Bands

Battle of the Bandsisthe blogging event started byFar Away Seriesand now hosted byStMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. This event happens each month on the 15th and on some blogs there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month. My blog is one of those with a second Battle on the 1st of the month. The premise is simple: Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it. Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

Comfortably Numb

This Pink Floyd song comes from the album The Wall as well as the film of the same name. Like much Pink Floyd music, "Comfortably Numb" is dreamy and atmospheric, lending itself well to New Age sounding instrumental interpretations. With the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge coming soon, along with all of my other life challenges and concerns, I've been needing some laid back music to relax me. Comfortably numb sounds like a reasonable state of being when things come rushing down on us, while at the same time remaining vigilant with a sense of rational clarity in order to properly process it all.

How about we get on with the music. In this Battle I've matched two somewhat similar presentations of the same song. Each artist has his own unique approach to interpreting the song so the question for you is: Which version do you like best? Listen and tell us in the comments.

Canadian musician Jamie Dupuis displays his virtuosity on acoustic harp guitar and electric guitar with Pink Floyd's tune. You might want to just put this on a few times in the background for relaxation. I'm loving this version.

Now calling L.A. his home base, Austrian guitar virtuoso Thomas Leeb has developed some nifty technique to play with a dazzling flair. Watching this video is hypnotic, but the mesmerizing effect is definitely enhanced by the music as well as the GoPro cameras on his guitar. I haven't gotten tired of this video yet. What do you think?

Time to Vote! It's now time to snap out of your reverie and cast a vote in this contest. Please vote. What's your preference between these two choices? Which song version do you like best? You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

Please vote on your favorites by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.

If it were a matter of voting for the better video, Thomas Leeb would win hands down. I've never gotten that kind of look at guitar strings vibrating before -- even looking like ripples flowing out into a pond -- and it was utterly fascinating to me. I had no idea there was that kind of fluidity and beauty to guitar strings when they were in motion after having been strummed or plucked! I was mesmerized just watching their movements. Great video find, Lee! (And I literally even chuckled out loud when it ended with an "insider's" view of the guitar case closing on the guitar. Clever conclusion!)

But since BOTB is really solely about the music (unless otherwise specified by the BOTBer), I have to cast my vote for JAMIE DUPUIS.

Leeb is certainly no slouch as a guitarist. But the intricacy and gentle beauty of Jamie's playing, with all those delicate, shimmering, soul-stirring shadings was truly awesome in a quiet, peaceful way.

I am not one who thinks that unless a guitar is cranked "up to eleven" and smacking you upside the head it is just "elevator" music. Sheesh!!

Thanks for this beautiful Battle, Lee. (It's pretty much the antithesis of my own Battle this time, isn't it? Ha!)

Right now, I'm listening to Jamie's recording again for the third time, just for the pure pleasure of it.

STMcC, thanks for actually listening and putting some thought into your pick. This is a match where I've had to listen to both versions a number of times since there is a kind of equality between them. I think I've settled on my pick, but I'll wait until Wednesday to let it be known.

I was fascinated by the vibrating guitar strings as well. At first I thought there was some kind of camera trick or something, but it all seems to be as it is.

I kind of thought this BOTB installment would be appreciated more by those who are guitarists since both these guys are really good, but one has to pay attention to catch the nuances of each performance. Guess it takes time to do so.

Yes, this was an antithesis to your Battle. I needed some calming music to listen to. I've been listening to both these versions repeatedly over the past week or so.

>>>... I was fascinated by the vibrating guitar strings as well. At first I thought there was some kind of camera trick or something

Yes, I too was initially thinking that it was a photoshop trick. It looked like we were seeing the strings in slow-motion, except that the sounds of the notes were totally in-sync with the images; they were consistent with each other. Very odd and very cool.

And, yip! Both guitarists are excellent. I guess subtlety and nuance just doesn't register with everyone. But I for one truly enjoyed this Battle!

Nilanjana, it's difficult to outfloyd Floyd. But I do like to hear unique covers. I can only imagine what my parents' house would be like if we had never moved and I were still living there. It would be like a museum.

I like the Canadian one better, it flows nicer and is calming while the second I didn't find calming...I found it a little irritating. Clutter is never great and I have too much. I plan on getting rid of one thing per week but i would have a very hard time getting rid of my books.

This was outstanding! I liked listening "from the inside" with Thomas Leeb, but I was fully captivated by Jamie Dupuis' version. For a moment I was sauntering off into the sunset, Stetson dipped to the west...What a great idea for a theme - can't wait!

Great Battle of the Bands! I played the guitar from when I was eleven until the stroke, and I spent most of that time not realizing you could get these kinds of sounds out of a guitar. Man, if I had it to do all over again, this is the way I'd've learned to play. This type of playing wasn't even around until the mid-90's with Michael Hedges, at least not to the degree it's around now. I never even envisioned playing in alternate tunings, playing with two hands on the neck, using the guitar as a percussion instrument, false harmonics etc. when I started.

I found a lot of talented players on Instagram, which allows them to post short videos (usually under a minute) and link to the full performance on YouTube. It's how I found Jamie Dupuis, who I featured a couple of years ago for one of my Monday's Music Moves Me entries. I'm going to go with him in this battle, because he added so much to the song with the harp guitar and electric. That's in no way an insult to Thomas Leeb, who did a fantastic job with this song and who I've started to follow on Instagram was a result. He's a dynamite player, and I hope he has more videos on YouTube.

John, I played some guitar but never could get much of a good sound out of it. It's something that takes a lot of practice which I wasn't willing to do so much. It is amazing when a guitarists applies all sorts of nifty tricks to the playing. There is a lot that can be done on a guitar.

If I had to pick a favorite band/group, it likely Pink Floyd. And Comfortably Numb ranks as a number one song; next to Learning to Fly, Run Like Hell; everything on Pulse and The Wall CDs.

To my ear, neither of these guitar versions comes close to the instrumentation of Comfortably Numb. Nothing solo captures the emotional beauty. That said I'm voting for Leeb because his version almost sounds like Comfortably Numb. This is a song that either needs full instrumentation, or lyrics.

Let me first speak to organization: believe it or not, some people think I'm the Queen of organization because I usually have so many "balls in the air" at one time. That all went into the blender over the last three years with my son's accident, my mother's decline (and hoarding) and health issues of my own. On the other side of that, I look at things differently.

In an effort to get back to myself, I did check out The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. Not one to jump on a bandwagaon, I can say that the whole philosophy of holding on to things that you love and enrich your life, as opposed to items you are just maintaining (I refer to these as the things I am a "warden" of) brings organization into focus for me. I'm at the point of my life where, though not rich, I can buy what I want if I accidently let go of something I need. So, there's no real harm in letting go. And I do, with frequency. I actually tell some of the young couples I know to contact me FIRST before they buy things. That makes getting rid of it even better.

You shouldn't have mentioned organization...it's my favorite subject.

BOTB: I love JAMIE DUPAIS and the video itself is relaxing to watch, too. Never heard of this guy, but I will be looking him up!

Cherdo, if you like the topic of organization then I hope you'll have more to say about it when I start doing my April posts. I like the idea of having young folks contact you before buying things. Some of the things I've kept would fit into that kind of category.

I'm sorry for not getting over to vote before now. All I can say is...life in it's crazy busyness kept me at bay. Okay, WOW I loved both artists. Each moved me differently and the covers are excellent. Not being real familiar with Pink Floyd I did not know this song, so thanks for the introduction. My vote could go either way but I think I'll go with the one that speaks to me loudest this evening and so my vote goes to Jamie Dupuis. Great job!

I'm the last person to ask about organizing and what to toss. It's really a hard call, especially when there are strong emotions tied to most of the stuff we own. Unfortunately, I don't have any book suggestions to offer. I'll be back later to check out your theme reveal. ;)

I had to come back because I realized I didn't comment on your Theme Reveal portion here. I swear, my brain is on overdrive. Anywho, I think your theme sounds like it could be a lot of fun. I certainly can relate to having more stuff than we need but parting with things is really hard. I think it would be so much easier if I could easily get to everything. This is something I'm eager to do whenever we move someday. I will not be taking things to our new home that we absolutely do not want anymore. Thanks for checking out my THEME REVEAL yesterday. Have a good week, my friend.

I hold on to things of sentimental value--heirlooms, pictures, books...being a military family for 24 years you HAVE to get rid of stuff about every 3 years, so I recognize the value of getting rid of unnecessary baggage though! Good luck on the challenge

Gail, we haven't had to move in the past 20 years, but we've seen all of our children move out during that time. I think we will have a move coming up so it is going to be imperative to downsize the past two decades of accumulation.

Cleaning the clutter, perfect! I am a member of the Facebook group "365 Items in 365 Days". There are new de-cluttering challenges all the time. Bathroom cabinet one day, cutlery drawer the next, you get the picture. Can't wait to read what you'll come up with!

Wow, these are both wonderful acoustic versions of Comfortably Numb. The POV was indeed interesting in Leeb's version but I much preferred Jamie's guitar playing so please give my vote to our Canadian contender. Plus his guitar is one of the coolest I've ever seen...

Re: Clearing the Clutter theme: this sounds very intriguing! I'll look forward to your disgarded clutter. As they say, one person's garbage is another's treasure...

So true. Getting rid of stuff: It's definitely not anywhere near as fun as collecting it! I wish I had all the money I've spent over the decades on stuff I for sure didn't need and so much that I bought and never even used....My retirement would be set. Hell, I could retire now if I had all that needlessly spent money back...

I think your AtoZ themes rocks Arlee - I'm a bit of a minimalist at heart, so other people's clutter always fascinates me (and freaks me out a little bit at the same time!) I'll be interested to see what you have in store (I hope there's photos!) Leanne | www.crestingthehill.com.au

Oh, how helpful. I have to clear the clutter... I need to put the house on the market (probably during the A2Z). It has to be tidy enough to photograph. The trouble is, I tidy one room, and my the time I do the next, the other one needs doing again. But I have got full recycling bins, bags to go to the tip - and I've put a dozen text books on Amazon! You never know...Good luck with it all, Lee!Jemima's writing inspirations for AtoZ2018

Hello Arlee You are always inspirational and awesome, I look forward to this co-learning with you.I will be doing a flash fiction challenge based on LIfe lessons from Social Media here :http://poojapriyamvada.blogspot.in/

You may or may not remember that the 'strings' are close to my heart. I just wanna try that camera thingy on my banjo and see the strings dance like that! lol Seriously though I just learned about the Harp guitar and it definitely gives the song that special something. I know I'm too late for the vote so really just tuning in to say see you on the A to Z!Stephanie Finnell@randallbychance fromKaty Trail Creations

Can't wait to lap up your posts, Arlee. Decluttering has been top of my mind too, in the recent past and I guess your posts will be an impetus for me to something significant. Thanks for my favourite "Comfortably Numb" versions.

Go ahead and say something. Don't be afraid to speak your mind.I normally try to respond to all comments in the comment section so please remember to check the "Email follow-up comments" box if you want to participate in the comment conversation.

For Battle of the Bands voting the "Anonymous" commenting option has been made available though this version is the least preferred. If voting using "anonymous" please include in your comment your name (first only is okay) and city you are voting from and the reason you chose the artist you did.

If you know me and want to comment but don't want to do it here, then you can send me an email @ jacksonlee51 at aol dot com.

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A juggler of words and phrases. My main blog is Tossing It Out. The focus blog for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge can now be found at a-to-zchallenge.com where updates will be posted until the event in April begins.
Wrote By Rote is about memoir writing.
A Few Words is my Sunday contemplation blog.
A Faraway View is about dreams. Pick what you like or look at them all. I love blogging!